Mon Ami
by Hagane2883436
Summary: She thought she was just as good as the Fullmetal Alchemist. She was wrong, so very wrong. Now she's trying to fix her mistakes... ON HIATUS
1. Encounter

**Chapter 1**

Why did it have to happen this way? I scream at the sky and tear at my hair with my right hand. I refuse to believe what happened to my left one, or the whole arm for that matter. The gentle breeze ruffles the grass at my feet and knees. The cloudless sky allows the sun to shine on the headstone in front of me. It's a beautiful day, as it always is in Resembool. Unfortunately, this small town is no longer a happy, carefree place for me. It is stained with the memories of what happened to my sister. It's my fault; she just went along with my idea. I should be the one buried beneath the ground, not her.

Someone is calling my name. The sound of his feet pounding on the ground makes my head throb. It's been this way for the past few days: I grieve for my sister and he snaps me back to reality. I hear something else, too. A clanking sound and two peoples' voices, arguing.

"Nii-san!" says one of them. The voice yanks at my heart; it's something my younger sister would always say to me.

The pounding feet stop right next to me, but I star at the floor. I don't want to go back. Not yet.

"Ami," his voice is soothing as he says my name. "We need to go home now."

I guess I have to stand up now, but one leg is numb and the other doesn't feel right; it never will. He helps me stand and we start to walk home together, me dragging my right leg behind me. I will not take that foot off the ground. It feels too awkward.

The clanking becomes more frequent. It's getting louder, closer. The arguing has stopped. One of the voices, not the one that said 'Nii-san', but the other one, says "Al, wait up!"

The boy helping me walk turns around, so I do, too. Someone in a suit of armor is running towards us. So that's where the clanking is coming from. There's a kid about my age in a long, red coat farther away.

"Are you alright? You look like you're hurt." says the person in the armor. His voice and size don't match up. I realize he's talking to me, but I don't answer. The boy in the red coat catches up and says "Stop running off like that, Al. You know it's hard to catch up to you." These two people are very strange.

"Who are you guys?" asks my friend.

"I," says the boy in the red coat "am the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric!"

No! Get him away from me! I used to idolize him, but now... He thinks he's so special. He can go die in a hole for all I care. In fact, I want him to die! Just get him away from me!

I try to get back to the house as fast as I can. Today is the third worst day of my life.


	2. Hate

I don't think contacts actually existed during the time period _Fullmetal Alchemist_ takes place, but whatever. Sometimes you have to bend the rules to get what you need. The key word being 'need' not 'want'.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

I was never a genius at alchemy; I just wanted my parents back. It didn't work. I tried to save my sister. That didn't work either. _What is wrong with me? Why can't I be as good at alchemy as Edward Elric?_

Then I found out where he got his automail - Winry Rockbell. That ticked me off. The only reason my friend, Jake, can't make great automail is because Winry is stealing all the customers, and, therefore, getting all the money needed for supplies. _What makes _Winry _so special? Why can't Jake be appreciated more?_

The Fullmetal's attitude... He's over confident. I hate people like that. He thinks _his_ life is hell? Well then maybe he should take a look at _mine_. I lost my sister. I have shoddy automail, thanks to _his_ girlfriend. I don't have any skills. He can serve this country. I'm dead weight. Especially right at this moment.

...

Why did I try to run? I just ended up tripping over myself. All three boys rush over to help me. I want to say "Don't get any closer!" but I can't talk for some reason. One of my contacts fell out. I can't have the Elric brothers seeing the real color of my eyes. I would be executed. No joke.

Jake sees my hand searching the ground and stops the brothers from coming any closer. Thank God! Or would that really be Truth? I'm still confused about what I saw...

...

On the day my sister and I tried to... you know what we tried to do, I remember a huge room. It was all white and empty, except for this ginormous door with alchemical symbols on it. At least I think they were alchemical symbols. There was this humanoid figure that almost blended into the walls. Wait. There were no walls. The point is, he was pretty much camouflaged, but I could still tell he was there.

He told me his name was Truth, and that I had to pay for what I had done. The door opened up and tentacles pulled me through. There is no way to describe what I saw next.

Then I was back. The pain was so intense that it took me a long time to notice my sister's lifeless body beside me, her dark skin cold and pale blue eyes unseeing.

She always had a harder time fitting in than I did.

...

Jake hands me my contact and Edward says "What was that all about? Are you so weak you can't hold yourself up?" He laughs like he just made a joke.

"Nii-san! That's a terrible thing to say! You should apologize."

"You can't make me say anything I don't want to."

"As a matter of fact," says Jake, "she is extremely weak right now. Don't make fun of her." I glare at the short, rude boy and nod my head as if to say "What he said."

The Fullmetal Alchemist blows a raspberry. He's so immature. I can't believe I used to look up to him.

The sky is now shades of pink and orange, and Jake's house is pretty far away from here. There's no way we can make it home tonight (unless you don't mind stumbling around in the dark with only one able leg to keep you standing).

"It's getting dark." says Alphonse. "Do you need a place to stay tonight?"

"Yes. Thank you." replies Jake. We both know that tonight will probably end in chaos.


	3. Rockbell

**Chapter 3**

When we get to the Rockbell residence, a short, old lady with a strange hairdo says "Ed! Al! It's been a while. Come on in. Who are your friends? Oh, my! Winry, get over here, quick! This girl is hurt!"

"Pffffftttt," says Ed "she's fine. Don't make a big deal over it." I know he's trying to be rude and make me angry or something, but I can't help but feel like he's helping me. I hate pity, and I don't need anyone (especially not the likes of _Winry_) to 'help' me.

But I'm too weak to defend myself. Winry rushes into the room, but when she sees me, she gets faster. She zips towards me at lightning speed and, instead of looking for any wounds like a good doctor should, grabs my automail arm and screams "This is terrible! What in the world happened?"

3...2...1...BOOM

"What happened, you ask?!" says Jake. "I'll tell you what happened! I did the best I could with my limited materials and education because she's not a billionaire and couldn't afford your stupid expensive crap, and this" he grabs my arm away from her, which hurts because now I'm just being pulled around "is NOT the problem here!"

Winry looks taken aback. Then she smiles and says "You're an automail mechanic? Look, it's cute and all that you're trying to help your friend, but you should have come to me for help."

"And what?! Pay a crap ton of money that I DON'T HAVE for a _single_ lesson?! And who are you calling cute?! I'm the same age as you! Don't act like you're superior!"

At some point in this civilized conversation, Ed, Al, and the old lady escaped to a different room. I would to, if I weren't trapped.

Jake stomps towards the door, says "I'm outa here!" and leaves. Without me. It's almost like I've been abandoned. I try to stand, and Winry helps me, but then she leads me into what I assume is her workroom. Great, just great. Can this day get any worse? Then, get this, she _takes my left arm off_.

...

I must have fainted because I wake up not remembering anything else from that night. I'm not in the same room. I'm in a bed that is somewhat more comfortable than the ones at Jake's house. Jake! I bolt upright in the bed. Where is he? Oh... I hear him in another room, arguing with Winry.

"And do you expect me or her to pay for that?!"

"Well, I wasn't going to at first, but then..."

"No 'buts' about it! You can't just do things without that person's permission and then expect them to pay for it!"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself."

That's just a little bit of their argument. There's a lot more to it but I don't care to listen. I get out of bed and a dog trots into the room. We stare at each other. Then the old lady walks into the room.

"His name is Den." she says. I nod and bend down to pet him. His front left leg is made of automail. It makes me angry, and I feel like breaking it.

A loud crash comes from the other room, and I spring up to go see what happened. My automail limbs feel strange, but not unusable like they were before.

A low moan comes from Jake.I don't blame him. There's a huge bump on his head. I turn around to see Winry holding a wrench. She says "And that's what you get for calling me a moron!"

Note to self: Do Not Make Winry Angry.


	4. Mustang

**Chapter 4**

This is the gist of what's been going on for the past few hours: I've been sitting on the couch doing nothing. Jake is sitting next to me with an ice pack on his head. The old lady (I learned her name is Pinako) is in the kitchen making food. Winry and Al are trying to get Fullmetal to drink milk. Den is sleeping in the middle of the floor. Why are Jake and I still at the Rockbells' house? It's raining outside, hard.

There's a knock on the door and Pinako goes to answer it. A man in a military uniform stands soaking wet in the doorway. Pinako says "Oh! Hello, Colonel! Please, come in. Would you like some tea?"

Colonel?!

Edward laughs and says "The Flame Alchemist is all wet! That's hilarious!"

Flame Alchemist?!

"Shut up, Fullmetal!"

The colonel's anger toward Ed doesn't last long because he turns around and sees Jake and me.

"And who might you two be?"

"None of your business." Jake practically spits the words out of his mouth.

I stop listening to the world around me. Flashbacks of the incident with my sister (you know what I'm talking about) pop into my head for no reason. I realize that I need to do something - anything - so I can get my sister back. But what _can_ I do...?

_Oh, no... Please, anything but that..._

There's only one thing I can think to do, but it's a terrible idea. Jake would get really mad at me. Heck, I'd be angry at myself! But there's no way I'm gonna stay in this dinky little town doing nothing.

I snap back to reality just in time to see the colonel dragging Edward out the door. Apparently there's this thing going on at Central, and all state alchemists are required to be there. Before I can stop myself, I stand up and speak. It's been a while since I've used my voice, so it sounds hoarse.

"Please, Colonel Mustang, take me with you. I would like to join the military."

I brace for the impact of Jake screaming words of betrayal at me, but he just stares at me. Then he stands up next to me and says "Me, too."

That is _NOT_ the reaction I was expecting.

...

Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka!

I hit myself in the head repeatedly as I mumble that word under my breath.

What is _wrong_ with me?! There is no way I'll _ever_ be able to join the military, no matter how hard I try. Oh, well. It's too late to turn back now.

We're in a car, but it's extremely crowded, what with there being five people and all. I'm squashed between Al and a window, Ed is on the opposite side, and Jake is in the front seat next to the Flame Alchemist.

This is going to be a long, painful, boring car ride. Or, it would be, but I've never been in a car before, and neither has Jake, so this might actually be fun.

...

I must have been kidding myself when I thought being in a car was going to be fun. It was the WORST non-death related experience of my life. Not only was it long, painful, and boring, but I almost barfed like three times! Also, I didn't get any sleep, so I'm just about as tired as you can possibly get.

But we're finally here at Central. _*Whew*_

I step out of the car and-

...

I wake up to see a bunch of familiar (and not so familiar) faces staring at me. I don't know where I am, but almost everyone in the room is wearing a military uniform.

_Great. My first impression on the military was terrible. Now my chances of joining have dropped from -100% to -200%._

Oh, my gosh. Um... Why is the Führer here?


	5. Fuhrer

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've had writer's block, and I haven't been feeling well lately. But I want to give a special thanks to The Fallen Dreamer (now Insomnia's Posterchild) for helping me make sure that Ami doesn't turn into a Mary Sue. I would love to see more reviews for my stories, though. Constructive criticism, praise, anything will do. If people don't review, I start to slack off 'cuz it feels like "Oh, no one really cares for the story anyway, so it's not like I'm disappointing anyone." Thank you for reading. Oh, and one last thing. Feel free to PM me whenever if you have anything to say that you don't want to put in a review. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 5**

King Bradley smiles and says "Welcome to Central. I heard about everything from your friend, so there's no need to explain anything."

Everything, huh. Did Jake tell him that I suck at alchemy? That I'm a failure? He'd better not have spilled any secrets.

The Führer turns to the rest of the group and tells them that everything is fine and that they can go back to their work. Everyone that I don't recognize, including some that I do, leaves the room. Now the only people left in here are King Bradley, Jake, and me.

"Now," says the man with an eyepatch, "tell me more."

"Um..." I say. He obviously knows I'm hiding something. "What is there to tell? You said it yourself: Jake already told you everything."

"Don't play dumb with me. There should be more to your story than losing your sister and wanting to avenge her."

Is that seriously all Jake told him? Couldn't he have said something more convincing? I mean, really. He could have just lied and made up a story. Geez.

"Don't know where to start? How about you begin by telling me what happened to your arm and leg. Don't worry. I can keep a secret."

Yeah. And then I'll be thrown in jail 'just because'.

"Or," offers the Führer, "you could tell me why your eyes look so irritated. It seems like there's something in them."

Stupid contacts. I swear, they will probably be the death of me.

I glare at Jake for not even _trying_ to help me out here. He just looks at something else that's not even interesting. Probably because if looks could kill, he would be dead.

"So, you really don't want to talk, do you? That's fine, I'll learn these things in time."

I'm relieved that the king isn't prying me open for information, but I can tell that he still has something else to say.

"Now, I really don't have time for this. I'm very busy, but I have one last question regarding the both of you." Jake and I both look at the Führer. "What are you good at? If you're not good at something, you wont be able to join the military. And even if you _are _good at something, you have to be _extremely _good at it. We don't usually allow kids into the military."

"Well," says Jake "I would like to join the medical field and work with automail, but unfortunately, sir, I'm not sure I'd be good enough. I'm actually starting to regret coming here in the first place."

"I see," King Bradley looks at me. "And how about you?"

...

_"But shouldn't we study more about it before rushing head first into something that might go terribly wrong?"_

_"Don't worry. We'll be fine."_

_"I'm not too sure about that..."_

_"Hey, I'm pretty good at alchemy, if I do say so myself. Human transmutation can't be_ that _hard."_

_"Onee-chan, I know you're talented and all, I mean you created those things that make your eyes blue-"_

_"I call them 'contacts'."_

_"The point is, I don't think human transmutation is forbidden for no reason..."_

I was too full of myself. I thought that I was good at alchemy, but I was wrong. And it cost me my one and only sister.

...

I don't want to sound impolite when I speak to the Führer, but all that manages to come out of my mouth are two words:

"State alchemist."


	6. Truth

I figured it was about time to bring up Ami's back story. Hope you likes. XD

* * *

**Chapter 6**

...15-14 years ago - third person...

_Their first born child brought to their attention the fact that raising a family would be difficult. She looked fairly Amestrian, but her red eyes made it obvious that she was also Ishvalen. The second child proved to be extremely problematic. Her dark skin and white hair easily gave away that she was not purly Amestrian. The family took refuge in the small town of Resembool, where the girls, Ami and Sarah, could live their lives peacefully._

_As time progressed, the family became pressed for money and had no way to earn more. The father could not work (he had to stay in hiding with his daughters), and the mother had to quit her job in the military to reduce the risk of being caught. But not all hope was lost. Ami and Sarah loved to make things, such as clothes and jewelry, using what little they could find. Every weekend, the mother would take her daughters' creations to the market and sell them for money. That is how the family lived - until the plague came._

...Just over a week ago...

_It wasn't as bad as it sounds, but it still wiped out quite a few people, including the girls' parents. Ami and Sarah were old enough to take care of themselves by then, but the plague had not only killed people; there were a few who survived after being affected. Ami was one of them. I don't think it's appropriate to talk about what actually happened to her. Let's just say 'that's how she got her automail leg' and leave it at that._

...5 days ago...

_The girls walked home, Ami leaning on Sarah for support._

_"But shouldn't we study more about it before rushing head first into something that might go terribly wrong?" asked Sarah._

_"Don't worry. We'll be fine," said Ami, looking extremely confident._

_"I'm not too sure about that..."_

_"Hey, I'm pretty good at alchemy, if I do say so myself. Human transmutation can't be_ that _hard."_

_Alchemy is not allowed in the Ishvalen culture, so everything she knew about alchemy was learned through reading books in secret. That's also how she learned about the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric; the youngest state alchemist, and the one who could use alchemy by just clapping his hands. It lead her to believe that she could become as good as him if she tried hard enough. _

_"Onee-chan, I know you're talented and all, I mean you created those things that make your eyes blue-"_

_"I call them 'contacts'."_

_"The point is, I don't think human transmutation is forbidden for no reason..." Sarah looked off into the distance, as if searching for someone to help her convince Ami to stop suggesting craziness._

_That night, the two girls sat in front of the transmutation circle. Small drops of blood fell from their index finger tips onto the floor. The circle drawn with chalk began to glow; the transmutation was starting._

...Ami's visit with Truth...

_At first, the stark white of the room blinded her. When her eyes got adjusted, she noticed the giant door in front of her. A humanoid figure, almost invisible when not in front of the door, spoke to her. _

_"Ami Shin'nen," Ami gawked at the figure, wide eyed and open mouthed. How did it know her name? The figure continued speaking, "You knew human transmutation was forbidden, and yet…" It snickered. "Human beings can be so amusing at times… But now you must pay the price. Equivalent exchange, right?" It wore a look of amusement that was also full of malice - like the smile of a psychotic murderer right before a kill. "I know how much you love to create art, and how you rely on that ability to survive. This should teach you a lesson you will never forget..."_

_And with that, the doors opened and Ami was swallowed into the darkness on the other side..._

…Sarah's visit with Truth...

_Sarah's visit began similarly to her older sister's, but Truth had a little more to say. It stepped close, as if examining her. As it examined, it murmured words that seemed to describe the girl._

_"Kind hearted, creative, wishes to be accepted…" The figure almost looked confused, "Determined?" This girl did not look determined at all; her whole body trembled with fear, and she was on the verge of tears. But Truth easily came to the conclusion that she had been planing on making the wold accept her (and all other Ishvalens) instead of having to live her life in fear. How did it figure this out, you ask? Well, it was the truth, after all. The girl finally let out the questions that had gathered in her mind._

_"Who are you? Where am I? What's going on? Where's Onee-chan?"_

_"Now, now. Calm down child. I was just about to tell you about this predicament you're in. __Most people might think of me as God, but I am actually the Truth. I only appear to those who have committed the terrible sin of human transmutation so they can be punished appropriately. Your sister is receiving her punishment as we speak. Now how to punish you…?" It turned away, thinking. 'Well,' it thought, 'I'll just take her soul. Then no one will know that this girl from a frowned upon race was actually good person, and her dream will have been crushed.'_

_Sarah fell to her knees and screamed, "No! Stop it! You can't hurt Onee-chan! It was a simple mistake; if you let us go, we'll- we'll...!" Oh, who was she kidding? There was no escaping her fate. She broke down into sobs at that point and didn't notice the doors open to take her away - forever..._

...

_Ami's eyes had to get readjusted to the darkness of the house. The transmutation circle sparked a little as the alchemy used to start the reaction in the first place faded away. In the center of the circle was a heap of bones covered in charred skin that oozed pus, but the failed transmutation was still just barely alive. It rose its head and stared at Ami with empty eye sockets. Then it tried to move towards the girl, but collapsed, sending a small cloud of dust and crushed bone into the air. Luckily for Ami, the creature had died before she had actually come to. But when she did realize what was going on around her, well, you can only imagine the emotions she was going through. Pain. Fear. Sorrow. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked upon her sister's lifeless body. She would have screamed, but her throat was sore and her voice was choked._

_This is right about where our story started..._


	7. Partially

Okay, Ami's actions and reasonings throughout this whole story might seem a little confusing (they are to me, and I'm the author!), but nobody is perfect, especially her. And sorry if the canons are ooc at times.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

I stand in Colonel Mustang's office, awaiting orders like I was told. Someone else was also ordered to be here, but he hasn't showed up yet. I look at the clock: half past seven in the morning. He should have been here at seven. Trying to be fashionably late, is he? Well, there he goes again, proving my point as to why he's such a terrible person. The colonel taps his fingers against the desk; his patience is obviously wearing thin. Then I hear footsteps outside the door.

Edward walks into the room and says, "Sorry I'm late. I-" He cuts himself off when he realizes that I'm here. "Why is Ami wearing a military uniform?"

"The Führer sees the potential for Ami to become a great state alchemist, so he has ordered that she be placed under your supervision for training."

"WHAT?!" I say. "You expect me to work with _him_?!"

The Flame Alchemist looks surprised and confused at my outburst.

"Yeah," says Ed. "Isn't there someone else she can work with? Wait a second... I don't understand this at all. There must be _hundereds_ of better ways to go about this..."

Colonel Mustang regains his composure and sighs. "I've been thinking the exact same thing, but the Führer's orders are the Führer's orders. He has his reasons, although they may a complete mystery to us..."

I slam my fist on his desk. "I don't care _what _his reasons are. I'm _not _working with _him__!_"

Both alchemists look at me in shock as I storm out of the room.

...

Like you just heard, nobody knows what the Führer's reasonings are for keeping me here. And also, I'm not actually part of the military, but I have the uniform, and they even gave me my own apartment. I have a feeling that something is very wrong, but I don't really care. The only reason I haven't tried to run home to Resembool is because I've convinced myself that this will help me get my sister back. Other than that, I don't give a crap about the military. Or Central. Or anything.

I sit on the couch, staring at a hole I punched in the wall. My anger has been replaced with emptiness and confusion. I let out a deep sigh and put my head in my hands. What should I do? I need to learn alchemy, but they're trying make me learn it from the person I hate most. Wait, I take that back. The person I hate most is the Führer. Don't ask me why. I'm a miserable wreck. I can't even think straight.

_*Knock, knock*_

"Ami?" It's Jake, thank goodness! Just the person to take my mind off my misery.

"The door's unlocked. You can come in."

Jake opens the door just enough to poke his head through. "Is everything okay?"

"Just _peachy_," I say sarcastically.

"Oh, come on," he says as he closes the door behind him. "It can't be _that_ bad. Plus, look at this apartment! You have it made!"

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention one other thing. I might have been partially accepted into the military, but Jake wasn't. It figures. The only reason I'm still here is because King Bradley is acting strange. It's a wonder they even let him stay here in Central overnight. But now he has to go back to Resembool. This is probably the last time I'll see him for a while.

"You don't understand, do you? I would rather be anywhere but here. This place is like a living nightmare."

"Are you kidding me? You _begged_ Mustang to bring you here, and now you're complaining? If you hate this place so much, why did you even think about coming here in the first place?"

"I don't know. Well actually, I do, but it's none of your business."

"Whoa, hold on. It's none of my business? Ami, I'm your best friend. We've known each other forever. How can you hide something from me like this. I mean, sure, there are certain things that people keep to themselves, but come on."

"Look, I don't know what's wrong with me, but something is off. About this whole situation. I'm not really in the mood to talk."

Jake gives me a look that is somewhat disappointed. "Hey, I have to leave soon. I just wanted to see you one last time before I go. But _this_," he gestures to me with my head hung low, "is _not_ the image I want to look back on."

So much for taking away my misery. I break down into sobs and wrap my arms around my friend.

"Whoa, what's with the tears? There's no reason to cry."

"There's _every_ reason to cry. Please don't leave me. You have to stay."

"I would, believe me, but I can't."

He gets out of my hug and walks towards the window. "Crap! I have to leave _now_!"

I'm confused as to how he can tell he has to go by looking out the window. The train station isn't visible from this view. And he's looking up. I look up, too. The sun is straight above us in the sky. Noon.

"I have to be on the train at twelve fifteen!" He runs out of the room after hugging me one last time.

And now I'm alone.


	8. Short

Oops, I forgot "Sara" was the name of Winry's mom. Oh, well. At least it's spelled differently? Also, I realized I've spelled "Amestris" and "Amestrian" wrong. I'll go back and fix it later, and I've seen multiple ways of spelling "Ishval", so I'm using the one on the wiki. On another note, there are many inaccuracies and oddities when I write about anything military related. Sorry.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Alone. I stand at the window until the sun goes down. When deep oranges and pinks light the sky, I drop onto the couch and fall asleep.

...

_*Thud, thud, thud*_

Someone is pounding on the door. They're also yelling at me.

"Ami you have to get up!"

Oh, great. It's _him_. I slowly get up and trudge to the front of the room. Then I open the door and glare at the fullmetal pipsqueak.

"Whadd_you_ want?" I say in a snarling voice.

"I think the question is what _you_ want."

"Huh?"

"How do you expect to become a state alchemist if you ditch training and stay in bed until _two o' clock_?"

"It's already two p.m.?!" That would make sense; my stomach is growling. I haven't eaten breakfast or lunch yet. I wonder how Jake is...

Ed waves his hand in front of my face. "Hey, stupid girl!"

I must have spaced out. Thinking has been hard lately. Wait a second - did he just call me stupid?!

I grab the collar of his jacket. "Did you just call me stupid?!"

...

You can probably guess how that situation turned out. But now we're walking down the hallway, heading off to a field or something to begin training. A growl from my stomach reminds me that I haven't eaten yet. Whatever. I can manage. After all, I've had to manage like this my whole life.

* * *

Short chapter, late update, yada yada. Sorry, sorry, sorry. It seems like I'm apologizing a lot, huh?

Well... I have a question for you FMA**B** lovers. It's NOT related to this story. If everyone in the military was a homunculus (i.e. Pride=Ed), who would everyone be? Here's what I have so far: Lust=Mustang, Pride=Ed, Sloth=Hawkeye, Greed=Olivier, Wrath=Bradley (Duh). Who would Envy and Gluttony be? Father=Fuhrer! Resaults will be posted on the next chapter!


	9. Promise

I'm a sucky writer and I know it! Don't kill me! D: I'm just gonna pretend that Alphonse doesn't exist for a while. He's sort of... in the way. Sorry, Al fans. :(

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"Before we start," says Ed, "does the word 'Truth' mean anything to you?" His arms are crossed and his expression is serious.

What? How would he know...? Has he also commited the taboo? The visit with that figure... "Truth" was never mentioned, but afterwards... that word sort of... worked its way into my mind.

I look at the boy in front of me questioningly.

"How about 'giant door' or 'white room'?"

So he has! "Yeah... What are you getting at?"

"I figured. Just needed to know so I can teach you alchemy the right way."

"Hey! I already know a lot about alchemy! And what do you mean 'the right way'?!"

He holds up his hands in mock surrender. Then he says, "Hold your horses. You'll never learn anything if you keep snapping like that."

I'm about to yell some more, but I resist the urge. The Fullmetal Alchemist claps his hands together and slams them to the ground. Two large spikes make of dirt spring up from the ground, one on either side of him.

"_That_," he says, "is the _right _way."

Oh... I forgot he could do that. But if that's the _right_ way... that means I've been doing it the _wrong_ way? No, that can't be what he means, can it?

I give him that questioning look again. "Are you implying that _I_ can do that?"

"Exactly."

There's a long silence. "...Umm... What does this have to do with Truth?"

He sighs and motions for me to follow him as he walks towards a bench and sits down.

His expression goes back to being serious. He opens his mouth to say something, but closes it right away, looking thoughtful or confused.

I laugh inwardly. Ha! He doesn't know what to say! Oh, sorry. I shouldn't be taking this situation lightly.

"Well..." he begins. I try to stay patient while he searches for the right words. Should I try that clapping technique while I wait? No - I don't want to risk getting the Fullmetal Alchemist mad at me (or at least any more than he already is). Instead, I pseudo-inspect the automail arm that Winry gave me.

That was probably a bad idea. Now I'm thinking about Jake again, but after that incident last night, I promised myself to do my best to stay focused on the soul reason I am here.

_..._

_Jake gives me a look that is somewhat disappointed. "Hey, I have to leave soon. I just wanted to see you one last time before I go. But this," he gestures to me with my head hung low, "is not the image I want to look back on."_

_So much for taking away my misery. I break down into sobs and wrap my arms around my friend._

_"Whoa, what's with the tears? There's no reason to cry."_

_"There's _every_ reason to cry. Please don't leave me. You have to stay."_

_"I would, believe me, but I can't."_

_He gets out of my hug and walks towards the window. "Crap! I have to leave _now_!"_

_He runs out of the room after hugging me one last time._

_And now I'm alone._

_..._

That night, I promised myself to get back to Resembool with my sister as soon as possible. I also realized that I would be alone until then.

That's right, I'm alone. Here, there is no Jake. Here, I'm being watched by the person I hate most. Here, I'm out of place. Here, everybody notices me. Here, nobody cares. Here, is my worst nightmare. The only thing that could possibly make things worse is if I give up, but that will never happen.

But of course, in order to get through this nightmare, I have to set certain rules for myself:

- No Tears. If anybody from the military sees me crying, they'll think I'm weak and I'll get kicked out for sure.

- No Attitude. I don't know how Ed gets away with disrespecting his higher ups, but I'm not taking any risks.

- No Daydreaming. I can't afford to lose focus on my goals.

- Take All Opportunities. I will do _anything _it takes to get my sister back.

!

I notice Ed stand up, so I turn my head to look at him.

"Okay," he says, "I don't know how to explain everything; it's all really complicated. But I do know someone who can. She lives in Dublith, though."

"That's pretty far down south, isn't it?"

"Yeah, which is why we're going to take a train tomorrow morning. I'm gonna go buy the tickets now. You can head back to your apartment or whatever."

He starts to walk away, so I go back to my apartment like I'm told. Of course, there are plenty of other things I _could_ do, but do I honestly seem like I _would_? Do I seem like I would go for a stroll in a park? Do I seem like I would go shopping? ...I didn't think so.

The only things I would do are things that will help me get my sister back.

* * *

Hey! NO ONE Answered my question from the previous chapter. So I'll ask you again: If everyone in the military was a homunculus, who everybody be? I'm only looking for Envy and Gluttony.

If you can't come up with any answers for the question, that's okay. But I would still like to see some reviews! 3 is not a very good number for 8 chapters. (Well, technically it's 9 now, but yeah...) Don't kill me! D:


	10. Apology

**Me:** I guess most people who have read this story gave up before they got to this chapter, so if you are reading this, thank you so much. I'm surprised you can actually stand my sucky writing. Follows, favorites, and reviews aren't the only things that make me a happy writer. A simple view is all it takes to put me in good mood. Wait a second, why does the beginning of this paragraph start with "Me:"?

**Ami:** Maybe it's 'cuz I'm also here?

**Me:** Ami?! Bu- but you're just a fictional character I made up! How...?!

**Ami:** Shhh, calm down. We're inside a story. Anything can happen in a story, right? Anyway, I'm here to help.

**Me:** ?

**Ami:** Watch and learn. Hey! All you people reading this! Yeah, that's right; I'm talkin' to you! Follow, favorite, and review this story! If you don't, you'll be sorry... *cracks knuckles*

**Me:** *Sweatdrops* Well... thanks, Ami. But I think telling these people to follow this story is the least of your concerns. Shouln't you be catching a train to Dublith right now?

**Ami:** Oh, crap! You're right! Bye!

* * *

**Chapter 10**

We're on the train. We have been for about thirty minutes now. There are no words to describe how much _better_ it is than a car. None at all. So here we are, a state alchemist and a stupid girl, sitting directly across from each other, both headed for Dublith. Come to think of it, Ed never mentioned who we're going to see.

"Um, Fullmetal, sir?" (I don't dare risk sounding disrespectful. Not in my predicament.)

"Hm?" He looks up from the book he's reading.

"I was just wondering, who exactly are we going to see?"

Ed closes the book and sets it down next to him. "We're going to meet my teacher. She has also seen the Truth, and will hopefully be able to explain it better than me." He says this last part a little reluctantly. 'Course he doesn't want to talk down on himself.

I turn my head to look out the window, but the Fullmetal Alchemist starts talking to me again.

"Ami?"

"Yes?"

"Last night, I was thinking, and, well... I... I'm..." He's...? What? I lift an eyebrow.

He takes a breath to focus. "I'm sorry for ever being rude to you."

What?! The Fullmetal Alchemist, apologizing - and to me?! I must have a really shocked expression on my face because now he's trying to explain before I freak out, probably.

"After I sent you home yesterday, I did more than just buy some train tickets. I looked at your paperwork- well, what little of it you have- and I didn't know just what kind of life you'd been living."

Oh, he's pitying me. I hate pity. I huff and look out the window again. Since when did I have _any_ paperwork, anyway?

"Hey!" he says. "I just apologized! Do you know how hard it is for me to do that?!"

"You're not apologizing - you're pitying me. You only _think_ you're sorry for what you've done, but you just feel bad that I've had such a terrible life."

"That is _not_ the case! I've had just as rough a life as you!"

"Oh, yeah? How about the fact that I _lost_ my sister?! How about the fact that I've been living my _entire life_ in poverty?! How about th-"

"How about the fact that _my_ father _abandoned_ my brother and me?! How about the fact that I was traumatized by the Truth at a much younger age than you?! How abou-"

"How about the fact that I'm-?!" Oh, no. I was about to say it. I was about to say that I'm part Ishvalen. I was going to yell it. Everyone on the train would have heard me. Speaking of everyone...

All the people sitting near us have crowded around our seats. They look angry, or is it disappointed? Either way, they're not pleased with all the yelling that's been coming from us. I turn my head back to the window. I'm not speaking for the rest of the train ride.

* * *

**Me:** Oops. This chapter came up a little short. Again, I apologize for any OOCness that may be in this story. Anyway, it's time to announce the winner of the challenge I've been presenting to you the last couple of chapters! (Well, actually, she was the only one who even submitted any answers :\)  
SuperSOULEATERLOVER suggested that Hughes should be Envy and Breda should be Gluttony, and I'll take it! So that is the end of that question! But please check out my profile and participate in the poll I've set up!

**Ami:** Will you just hurry up and get the chapter over with? These train seats aren't all that comfy - even though they _are_ much better than a car's.

**Me:** Hey, I thought you said you weren't going to talk for the rest of the trip!

**Ami:** ...Well this doesn't count because it's in between chapters.

**Me:** Whatever.


End file.
